Trimming and pinching
Regular pruning helps to give the plant a beautiful compact shape, make the flowering more lush and lasting, and get high-quality planting material. For manipulations, a sharp, disinfected blade is selected, but it is not recommended to use scissors - they break the tissue at the cut site and squeeze the shoot.
The cut is made over the node located on the outside of the bush, the damaged area is immediately sprinkled with charcoal or activated carbon, cinnamon powder.
A young individual can be pinched instead of pruning - with dry and clean fingers, without damaging the top layer of the stem.
Both pinching and pruning are best done in spring or fall. In the first case, it is sufficient to remove the weakened, damaged or excessively long stems. In this case, at least 2-3 kidneys at the bottom should be preserved. Autumn pruning is more drastic - by about a third.
Reference! It will be useful to feed the plant with a nitrogen-containing mixture after the procedure - this will accelerate the growth of new shoots and green mass in general.
We suggest you watch a video about pruning geraniums:
What happens to the plant while it blooms?
Indoor flowers can change the environment for the better in any living space. Blooming and healthy plants improve the home environment, create home comfort. Geranium is considered especially unpretentious in cultivation. It is spread over many continents. Geranium is very easy to care for.
How long does geranium bloom? The flowering period of geraniums is the process of sexual reproduction of plants. It begins with the inception of flower buds in the buds, followed by their appearance, pollination and flowering. After that, seeds and fruits are formed. Flowering begins from the time when the ability to pollinate is formed in a developed flower.
The flowering period usually lasts from May to July and lasts about 40 days, with possible repetition during the summer.
Sometimes it happens that a plant does not bloom for a long time for unknown reasons. It may look healthy enough, have luscious green leaves, but not flower.
Why does a houseplant not bloom at home, but gives only foliage?
There are many reasons why a plant refuses to produce flower stalks.
Possible reasons for the lack of flowering:
- low room temperature;
- unsuitable poor soil;
- illiterate watering;
- too large a pot;
- untimely pruning or lack of it;
- diseases and pests.
Why does the leaves stretch violently up?
The reason that geranium grows, but does not bloom, may be a lack of light. Geranium gets sick if it lacks sunlight and reaches out to it with all its might. Without sunlight, the plant cannot gain the strength to bloom profusely, hence the long, bare stems.
If the geranium has grown noticeably, and the leaves have become rare, the reason must be sought in watering. Excessive watering provokes rotting of the root system and infection with a fungus. In such conditions, geranium cannot bloom, and its leaves and stems become lifeless and soft.
The geranium that has not been transplanted for a long time does not bloom for a long time. The root system grows actively, and a moment comes when the roots are so crowded that they show up from the drain hole. Another florist's mistake is a pot that is too spacious. The transplanted geranium will not bloom until it takes up the entire volume of the pot with its roots, which will take a lot of time.
Too fertile soil also inhibits flowering. In such a substrate, the plant will throw out a large number of shoots, grow quickly and acquire leaves, but not flowers.
The stems do not branch, but grow in length without pinching or pruning. Such a geranium does not have the strength to bloom, since all the energy is spent on the exuberant growth of stems and leaves.
Why isn't it growing?
During the hot summer, geraniums may stop forming inflorescences and a bush. Growth stops. Like cold, extreme heat is not good for the plant.
Another reason for the lack of growth and flowering is pests. Geranium is attacked by mites, fungi, mealybugs, due to which it stops growth and flowering. If the plant is not transplanted and treated with a special preparation, it will die.
Geranium is resistant to drought and does not die from lack of watering, but its growth and flowering stops.
The lack and wrong balance of mineral fertilizers negatively affects the health of geranium - it stops growing and blooming. The plant suffers from both a lack of substances in the old soil and an overabundance of minerals.
Where to put the flower
Having weighed all the pros and cons, it is determined whether geranium is needed and whether it is possible to keep a plant in the house. If you want to decorate the interior with brightly blooming pelargonium, you need to think about where it will be most comfortable.
So that the plant has a positive effect on the home energy, soothes the nerves and creates a joyful mood, they approach the choice of a place for an indoor flower from the standpoint of Feng Shui. Science recommends placing the geranium pots on a southeast-facing windowsill.
Experienced flower growers believe that pelargonium is unpretentious in choosing a place, so it can be placed in any room, regardless of the location of the windows. But the frequent resettlement of color negatively affects its "mood".
Note! If the plant begins to smell harsh after relocation, it is better to leave it in the same place. In a private house, pelargonium is planted in a flower bed in summer
Following Eastern teachings, the best place for geraniums will be flowerpots installed on both sides of the front door. This will help protect your home from bad energy. It is desirable that these are flowers with red petals. They are visible from afar and, according to legends, scare off eye-catching people.
In a private house, pelargonium is planted in a flower bed in summer. Following Eastern teachings, the best place for geraniums will be flowerpots installed on both sides of the front door. This will help protect your home from bad energy. It is desirable that these are flowers with red petals. They are visible from afar and, according to legends, scare off eye-catching people.
Plant in its place
If we take into account the functionality of the premises, then geranium will be in place everywhere:
- in the living room, the flower will create a benevolent, relaxed atmosphere;
- in the bedroom will set the spouses in a romantic mood;
- in the children's room will provide healthy sleep and stimulate students to the creative process;
- in the kitchen, geranium is useful for improving digestion.
If there are windows in the bathroom and hallway, then pelargonium will be appropriate here too. Having placed geraniums around the house, you do not have to worry that the family will be annoyed by flies, mosquitoes and other harmful insects.
Note! People who are sensitive to odors, but do not want to part with pelargonium, should not keep a flower in those rooms where they rest and work.
Geranium in pots
There are those who like to grow indoor flowers in limbo. Pelargonium can also be planted in pots. For this option, only certain varieties from the group of climbing (ampelous) plants are suitable.
Pelargonium in pots
Geraniums are suspended in a flowerpot low and placed as close to the sunlight as possible, choosing an east window for the summer, outweighed to the south for the winter.
Geranium under artificial lighting
Not every apartment has windows facing the right direction.If the hostess is forced to keep pelargonium on the northern windowsill, the plant will not have enough sunlight. Therefore, additional illumination with a phytolamp or a fluorescent device will be required.
What to do for flowering?
Flowering stimulation rules:
- If the pot in which the geranium lives is large enough, you should change it in favor of a small one. The plant will bloom in a small pot, where it does not have to develop a root system for a long time.
- To stimulate flowering, experienced florists advise changing the soil once a year. Replacing old soil with fresh and nutritious ones gives a powerful impetus to flowering.
- The plant needs sunlight. The pot should be on a windowsill or balcony illuminated by the sun's rays. Cover the glass with white paper to prevent burns from direct sunlight.
- Watering should be moderate. It is worth watering only when the earthen lump in the pot is already dry enough.
- For abundant flowering, it is advised to add magnesium sulfate to the soil. This fertilizer helps to increase the number of inflorescences. Iodine water is also popular: 1 drop of iodine is added to 1 liter of water. The plant is watered with this solution in the amount of 50 ml. Florists note that iodine stimulates lush and long flowering. You can only feed it from the beginning of spring to the end of summer.
- During the flowering period, it is unacceptable for drops of water to enter the buds, and it is also prohibited to treat the plant from pests. These actions contribute to the early completion of flowering and a long break.
- The temperature drop has a stimulating effect on geraniums. The plant, which lives in the summer on a balcony or loggia, blooms luxuriantly and for a long time. In summer, the air temperature in the place where the geranium is located should not fall below 12-15 ° C.
- A good winter vacation will bear fruit in the form of abundant flowering. In winter, the geranium pot should be kept in a cool place. Watering can be done no more than 3 times a month.
Geranium is more than a houseplant. Geranium lovers note that the bright flowers and delicate scent of the leaves have a beneficial effect on mood and well-being. For geraniums to be healthy and bloom magnificently, you do not have to make serious efforts. Simple rules will help turn this plant into a beautiful and useful decoration for your apartment.
Why does royal geranium not bloom?
As mentioned above, royal geraniums require more careful grooming than other varieties. This species does not bloom so often, but it always surprises with its huge and rich colors. It is necessary to observe certain conditions for this geranium to please with its beautiful inflorescences.
Royal geraniums do not bloom for the following reasons:
- Incorrectly selected room temperature.
- Lack of natural lighting.
- Lack of transfers.
- Incorrect cropping.
- Inaccurate transplanting.
- Unsuitable fertilizers and feeding.
- The flower pot is too big.
Geranium king loves to absorb the sun's rays (but within reasonable limits), because in the shade it stretches and sheds its buds. She doesn't like drafts and needs a quiet place to grow well.
For a young royal facet, you need to choose a small container for planting, but if you plant it in a large pot, then it will devote all its strength to filling the space with the root system and will not bloom.
In winter, watering is recommended to be reduced to twice a week. It is necessary to prune this variety during the spring and autumn periods.
Peduncles that have finished blooming must be cut off along with fading flowers. This procedure will give the plant additional strength, which will be directed to the emergence of new buds.
Subject to these simple rules for caring for royal geraniums, it will always delight gardeners with its lush flowers.
So, geranium does not require careful care, the exception is the royal one.If there are no flowers, then the problem must be solved immediately, otherwise the plant risks dying. It is necessary to find out the reasons why pelargonium does not bloom, and begin to eliminate them, so that soon the plant can delight with its beautiful appearance.
Fertilizers for geranium
Usage fertilizer for geranium is one of the stages of care. Top dressing is necessary, first of all, for the lush flowering of the plant. Also, fertilizers increase the protective properties of pelargonium, which are necessary for the fight against pests and fungi. To know how to feed geraniums, it is better to study the types of fertilizers and their properties.
Remember! Fertilization is not required during the dormant period of the plant. You can not feed if the flower has been in the sun for a long time. The heat is a kind of stress for him. Therefore, before the procedure, you need to transfer the geranium to the shade and give it a rest.
Top dressing with iodine and peroxide
A few decades ago, they knew how to feed geraniums for abundant flowering at home. We used the means that were always at hand: iodine and hydrogen peroxide. The solution should be watered the plant once a month, it is better to do this in the morning or in the evening. This is a popular method that has proven its effectiveness over the years. For cooking you will need:
- water - 1 liter;
- iodine - 2 drops;
- hydrogen peroxide - 1 tablespoon.
Top dressing with iodine and hydrogen peroxide
Such feeding not only stimulates the growth and flowering of geraniums, but also protects against pests and fungal diseases. In addition, after cultivation, the soil becomes looser, saturated with oxygen.
Vitamin feeding
Vitamin feeding for geraniums for flowering is carried out from the beginning of March. The plant requires nitrogen, so it is better to add fertilizers to the soil, in which it is present. B vitamins are also used. They are usually contained in ampoules, which must be dissolved in water. Vitamins B1, B6, B12 are used. They feed them in turn. For three weeks, once every few days, you need to fertilize with one vitamin, diluting the ampoule in two liters of water. Then they are replaced with another and act according to the same scheme.
Organic feeding
Organic dressing is rarely used. It must be used carefully, if the proportions are not observed, the plant may die.
How to fertilize geraniums using organic products:
- cow dung;
- bird droppings.
Raw materials must be diluted in water and introduced into the soil. You can use this method no more than once every three years.
Despite the fact that geranium is considered an unpretentious plant, it must be looked after. Only the correct lighting regime, watering and timely care will help give pelargonium a blooming look. We must not forget to feed the plant, replant it if necessary, then the buds will appear every season, and the leaves will remain fresh and bright.
Flowering features
Geranium plants that can be found in nature belong to the dicotyledonous family, which can be divided into 7 tribes:
- Geranium;
- Pelargonium;
- Acidic;
- Embalmed;
- Limnanthes;
- Vmanieae;
- Wendtii.
Geraniums are considered garden plants and differ in appearance from Pelargoniums, which are grown at home. The correct name for the geranium flower is "pelargonium", but in view of the fact that the first option is more familiar, then the plant will be called that way.
Geranium was first found in South Africa, and it is this area that is considered its homeland. Due to its attractive appearance, it was brought to Europe in the 16th century, and to Russia in the 18th century. A long flowering period is considered a virtue of this plant and maintains a stable interest in it. You can see flowers from late spring to mid-autumn. Due to the fact that geraniums began to be cultivated as a home plant, new varieties have appeared that have their own characteristics.
The zonal has stripes on the petals, which divide them into certain zones of different shades. This variety is usually white, red and pink in color. The peculiarity of the species is that the flowering period is short, but the process of the appearance of new flowers is so fast that it seems as if the pelargonium does not stop blooming.
These are just some of the types of geraniums that can be found now. Each option has its own characteristics of the development and growth of the bush itself, as well as the flowering period. In the event that the time for the appearance of buds has come, and the flower does not give them out, then you need to understand the reasons and eliminate them in time.
What to do to make it bloom profusely?
In order to make pelargonium bloom, you should place it in such conditions under which it will be forced to form buds, create a stressful situation for it. First, you need to analyze the conditions in which the flower grows, the shortcomings must be eliminated.
If the lack of flowering is not clear, there are several stressful tricks to stimulate the flowering of pelargonium:
- Radical pruning. This measure allows you to increase the number of lateral shoots and stimulates the laying of flower buds.
- Temperature stress. Take the flower out to the balcony or plant it in the garden so that there is a difference between day and night temperatures.
- Top dressing with iodine. This is the easiest and most economical way to provoke the flowering of pelargonium. For 1 liter of water, 1 drop of iodine (alcohol solution from a pharmacy). Florists advise dissolving iodine in heated water. The solution is thoroughly mixed. 50 ml of the solution is introduced into the already moist soil of the pot, away from the roots, closer to the walls. This procedure should be carried out once every 3-4 weeks.
- Transfer. This procedure stimulates flowering well. The correct selection of the pot, soil, as well as the placement of the flower after transplanting for 1-2 days in a dark place will force the buds to form.
Now varieties of pelargonium have been bred of compact forms, with flowers of all kinds of shades. With the creation of the necessary conditions and regular care, the flower will delight with lush flowering from spring to late autumn.
Why does geranium not bloom, but gives only foliage
The reasons for this may be the following factors:
- Incorrectly selected pot. If the container is tight, the roots will give all their strength to the growth of new shoots, and not to the formation of flowers. In a cramped pot, the plant begins to actively grow upward, the leaves are large, but rarely located.
- Incorrectly selected fertilizers and a violation of the feeding schedule. If you fertilize the plant too often, the leaves will grow rapidly. Flowering may be absent due to lack of nutrients.
- Excessive moisture. Despite the fact that geraniums love moist soil, frequent watering leads to the formation of a green mass without buds. In the fall, the plant needs to be watered less often, otherwise this can also negatively affect the appearance of inflorescences.
- No clipping. With a large accumulation of shoots, the root system does not have enough nutrients to bloom. It is especially necessary to carefully monitor the appearance of young shoots, which can take all the strength of an adult bush.
- Root damage. Root diseases result in a lack of buds and can contribute to plant death.
- Lack of light. In the shade, the plant will reach for the light and become weak. Such bushes almost never bloom.
- Damage by pests. Insects reduce the vigor of the plant, so it cannot bloom.
- Low air temperature. Such situations arise in winter. Geranium tolerates hot conditions well, and a decrease in temperature can lead to a lack of flowering.
Why does not bloom, but only forms foliage
Some plant varieties have their own characteristics. For example, the question often arises why royal geranium does not bloom. This variety, unlike other varieties, has a lush bush that requires special pruning and maintenance. The flowering of a culture may not start for the following reasons:
- due to lack of light;
- if the pot is too large;
- with frequent and incorrect pruning;
- if the plant is not transplanted into new soil in a timely manner;
- the location of the geranium in the shade - while the buds are formed, but fall off, and not blooming.
Why does royal geranium not bloom?
Important! To choose the optimal place in the house for growing geraniums, you need to move the pot. Very often, after a change of location, the plant begins to bloom actively
Varieties of room geranium
There are several types of indoor geranium:
- Climbing geranium or ampelous has elongated branches up to 900 mm long, going down. It is more convenient to grow a flower in a suspended planter. Tassel-shaped inflorescences are purple, red or white, and are placed on the tops of the flowing stems. The surface of the leaves is smooth. This species has about 70 varieties, it is also called ivy geranium or curly geranium.
- The royal variety is the most capricious. It is a shrub 30-60 cm high with large double flowers and umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Usually flowers are white or purple in color. There are also varieties with spotted flowers. Rounded leaves have a serrated border.
- Fragrant geranium or zonal pelargonium is the most common species. The height of the bush reaches 80 cm. Rounded leaves with yellow, white or brownish edging are located on long stems, the tops of which are decorated with inflorescences in the form of umbrellas. The color of the flowers is from white to purple or burgundy red.
- Scented geranium has a pleasant aroma. There are varieties with the scent of rose, lemon, cinnamon and apple. There are only about 150 species. Small decorative leaves. On one stem, one small butterfly-shaped flower grows. This variety does not always bloom in a warm room.
- Geranium pink or rosaceous has reddish or pinkish flowers that resemble small roses. The texture of the petals is smooth and the inflorescence looks like a miniature bouquet of roses. On the sheet plates there is a coating in the form of a fine mesh.